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No. 236,255; Patented Jan. 4,1881,

N-PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHiR. WASHINGTOIL D, C.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. PRENTICE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

LAClNG-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 236,255, dated January 4, 1881.

Application filed November 8, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PREN'IICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacing-Buttons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in lacing hooks or buttons for wearing'apparel, but which are designed more particularly for boots and shoes; and it consists of a lacing-hook formed of a single piece of round, halfround, or other suitable shaped wire, which is bent into shape so as to provide a curved hook or head at or about the center of a fastening-plate having sharp penetrating prongs for attachment of the complete device to the fronts of boots or shoes, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

' In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my complete device secured to afabric. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same in position to be attached to the fabric, and Figs 3 and 4 represent the manner in which the wire is bent to form the complete lacing-hook.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

My present invention is preferably formed of half'ronnd wire, although flat, round, or other suitable shaped wire can be employed in its manufacture without departing from, the spirit of my invention. In the present instance the complete device is formed by bending the half-round wire together at the center,

as shown in Fig. 3, in order to provide a round curved hook or head, a, as shown in Fig. 4, the lower ends of the wire being then bent or doubled back, so asto stand at right angles to the head a on each side to form a table or fastening-plate, b, and the extreme ends of the wire again bent at right angles to the plate I) to form fastening-prongs c, which are preferably thinned to an edge at the points during the process of manufacture, to enable the same to be readily turned back in the material to which the device is to be attached by means of the setting-instruments usually employed for such purposes.

By means of my present invention Iam enabled to utilize all the stock employed in the manufacture of the same, which is notthe case where lacing-hooks are made from sheet metal, and which necessarily involves considerable waste of the stock employed. I am also enabled to produce a much stronger and more durable lacing-hook, which not only presents a neater appearance, but lies closer to the material to which it is attached than those now commonly used. thereby preventing the wear of the pantaloons or other article of dress which comes in frictional contact with the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- As an improved article of manufacture, a lacing-button composed of a single piece of wire, as described, having the central hook portion or head, a, the base b, and front and rear fastening-prongs c, the hook and prongs being in the same vertical plane, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. 'PRENIIOE.

Witnesses:

D. G. BODMAN, GEORGE E. LEONARD. 

